My 24 yr old son totaled his car - ideas?

ANGRYBUTTCRACK

ANGRYBUTTCRACK

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So around 10pm last night my son was headed to where he lives after class. As he enters the off-ramp a motorcycle comes on the on-ramp, gets in front of him and pulls hard on the brakes, my son couldn't avoid him and hits him. Fortunately for the rider, he was fully geared up and didn't need (serious) medical attention, left with his mangled bike and the tow truck after EMS checked him out.

Unfortunately, my son's 2003 Lexus is totaled. It has about 190k miles on it and he recently got new tires. Since it was in his name with liability only, he's out a car temporarily (I'll loan him my Suburban) as he seeks another ride.

What do we do with his Lexus? Will some one (junk yard maybe) buy it for spare parts? Should he pull the rims and tires to try and recoup? Haven't been down this road in a long while. Appreciate any suggestions. He's got just a little over a week and then it's got to be off the street (for sweeping) and he'll get a hefty ticket if it isn't.

Figured some y'all on here might have some suggestions/ideas. 

Thanks,

abc

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Lots of useable parts on car. Call some of the bigger buyers of imports (salvage yards) and offer it. Also your insurance company may be able to offer some ideas. They do this every day.

 
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Damage looks like sheet metal and plastic or is there more? Junkyard parts and back on the road.

 
Hopefully no bikers get in his way in the Suburban. It’ll be game over for them!

It’ll take a LOT of time and effort but break that thing down piece by piece and part it out.

 
Appreciate the suggestions.

I heard 'Cars for Kids' is a scam.. the CEO just pays himself 95% of the profit and 'donates' the balance to charities so he's a 'legit' charity, etc... I'll try the junk yard route. I'm so swamped, no time to keep it and part it out. I'd be losing money (instead of focusing on my business). My son's been working and saved up, so he's gonna spend up to $8k (of his $14k in the bank) for a replacement. 

Told him a Suburban for $8k isn't gonna happen. He needs to find another 'cheap' ride and pay cash so he has no payments. His roommate works on cars/boats and pretty sure the car is toast. .. possibly bent frame,.. sparks flying out of the front of the engine as the 'fly wheel' turns. .. leaking fluids... radiator is toast.. IMO not worth fixing. We paid $3k for it, put $1k into it. He's had it for a few years, so it did it's job.

I'll contact the junkyards and see what they'll give/want to haul it away. 

Thanks fellas.

Sincerely,

abc

PS. If anyone here is interested in buying it to part out, PM me an offer. The car is located in Garden Grove, California. It's a 2003 Lexus LS 300. Was a $45k car originally. 6 cylinder with all the bells n whistles for that year. 

 
It's an IS300 and no way is that totaled. I'd get a second opinion on repair right now since there is nothing for a decent price for sale. 

 
If it’s liability only, technically not totaled.

Looks entirely repairable to me

 
Kick the fender off and let him roll……

ain’t a panty dropper anymore but it’s better than the bus.  Buys him and Dad a few weeks ehhh

 
Fireballsocal said:
It's an IS300 and no way is that totaled. I'd get a second opinion on repair right now since there is nothing for a decent price for sale. 
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Neh... with near 190k miles.. he'd have to put in a good grip $2k-$4k probably,... then the engine would grenade (possibly). He's looking at cars with 75k-125k miles. Probably gonna get another Lexus, reliable,.. Toyota so parts are cheap.. good cars.

Off topic, the baby (my 15 year old) will be getting a new or maybe 1-2 year old Elantra pretty soon that I'll buy her... about $20k. I want one with under 20k miles. It will be her car through HS, College and several years into work. Bought a 2013 Elantra  with only 6k miles back when my 22 year old was that age for $15k, still running great with 85k miles on it. She's going to enroll for her Masters in nursing this fall (2 years) and I expect she won't need a car for another 5+ years.

I went this 'cheap' route with my son as we all know how young males drive. Fortunately, it was in his name and his insurance. He got 3 years out of it, so no complaints for spending $4k when we bought it.

Thanks guys.

ABC

 
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... will need a few people to push.. should make it a few hundred yards before we poop out..  :rofl:

 
Consider it a 'life experience' and walk away. If it was a desirable collector's car then keep it, but it ain't. My experience- in 2016 my wife and daughter got side T boned 1000' from out house on our street one morning on the way to school in our 2002 Tahoe with 250k miles. Fully insured. The insurance offered to let us keep the Tahoe and pay the towing and storage fees, about $900. It had the original 5.3 iron block and 4l80 trans with under 50k miles. I could have fixed it for $1000k or parted it out and maybe, maaaabey scrapped it for a few grand. Not worth my time and effort. Let them have it and they paid me $4500. 

 
nah... I'm with you.. don't shed any tears for the ABC family ... I'm in semiconductors... I made $205k in profit last month.. at the Long Beach Grand Prix Friday, I made $13k that day... 

.. we're fine... but I'm one of 4, all my siblings are sisters.. I have 1 son and 3 girls... same deal...  I'm  a little harder on the boy as they were to me... so he (may) have effed up.. not sure.. but he was coming home from class.. wasn't drinking or anything... still he gets to drive 'beaters' until he can make it on his own. Yeah.... he's gonna buy another older car.. with his own money.. 

Gotta continue to build up the boy by letting him make his own path/mark.. like I did.,.. not like I expect him to find some girl to take care of him.

No time to fart around.. the car's dead, kill it.. and he can buy something else and move on.

abc

 
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One thing of value, since no insurance, no salvage title. That alone adds value.

 
If you don't want to fix it (Its very fixable based on those pics), toss it up on CL with the "mechanics special" in the title.  It will be gone before the days over.  Especially with it not having a salvage title.  There are people out there with more time then money and thats a perfect car for them to use or fix and sell.

Take that extra money and put to towards his next car.

Personally I would just get it rolling again with he bare bones parts.  Order the rest and fix as you go.  He is still a young buck and the car is paid for.

 
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